Sustain Restaurant + Bar Closes (Updated)

Sustain Restaurant + Bar has closed its doors. The restaurant, which opened in December 2010, was known for using sustainable ingredients sourced as locally as possible.

Executive chef Alejandro Piñero, a Miami native whose culinary resumé includes the Strand, Casa Tua, Talula, and Fratelli Lyon, was a driving force at the restaurant, where he constantly changed the menu to reflect the growing seasons.

The restaurant was named Miami New Times' best restaurant in the Design District in 2011 and was named one of the top ten reviewed restaurants in 2011 by food critic Lee Klein, who said, "It seems midtown Miami residents have yet another fine restaurant in the neighborhood."

The restaurant had a solid bar program, led by beverage manager Daniel Toral, and partners Jonathan Lazar and Brian Goldberg had a hands-on approach to the restaurant, which featured a wood-burning stove and modernist décor. Though the restaurant had good reviews, it never seemed to be as busy as neighbor Sugarcane, which regularly has patrons spilling out into the street. Sustain's management constantly tried to keep momentum with a recently relaunched brunch program complete with a DJ, menu changes, and daily happy hour.

We're not sure yet if the sustainable restaurant is done or will serve for a few more days. A call to the restaurant's PR rep confirmed the restaurant was "closing," and restaurant partner Jonathan Lazar has posted on his Facebook page: "Bittersweet Symphony. We tried our best. Some say we were pioneers. In the end, we did it our way!"

Short Order will update you as we receive more information.

UPDATE: Sustain Restaurant + Bar co-owner Brian Goldberg confirmed the restaurant's closing. He told Short Order: "Yes, Sustain closed over the weekend. I want to thank our customers and staff for all their support as well as the local growers for their passion and dedication. Don't be surprised if you see our 'wet' fries pop up on a menu in the future."

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, covering the restaurant and bar scene in South Florida. She has been featured on Cooking Channel’s Eat Street and Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. Doss won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature on what it’s like to wait tables. In a previous life, she appeared off-Broadway and shook many a cocktail as a bartender at venues in South Florida and New York City. When she’s not writing, you can find Doss running some marathon then celebrating at the nearest watering hole.